The Best Space Gifts for Kids 2018

Introduction

Need to find a gift for a kid who's stoked about space? From telescopes to science kits, school supplies and toys, Space.com has you covered. Here are our spaced-out shopping suggestions.

UP FIRST: Telescope & Astronomy Kit

Telescope & Astronomy Kit

Thames & Kosmos

Scope out the moon, planets, stars and galaxies with this astronomy kit for beginners (age 12 and up) from Thames & Kosmos. The kit includes a 700-millimeter refractor scope, two eyepieces, a Barlow lens and an image reversal lens so your view is never upside-down. The telescope comes with a tripod and a detailed instruction manual. ($123 on Amazon)

Why we love it: This telescope is strong enough to see everything from lunar craters to distant galaxies, nebulas and star clusters. Its tripod also has a handy platform to keep all your eyepieces and other accessories together.

Lego Apollo Saturn V Building Kit

Lego

Houston, we have a Lego rocket and moon lander! Lego's new Saturn V rocket and Apollo lunar lander building set comes with 1969 pieces to honor the year of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The set includes the pieces to build the rocket, the Apollo command module, lunar lander and crew capsule for splashdown on Earth after the moon mission is complete. Once it's built, the rocket stands 39 inches (99 centimeters) tall. It comes with four tiny Apollo astronaut microfigures and handy display stands. The set is available at the Lego Store and website for $120 and from third-party sellers on Amazon at higher prices. [Space.com Builds: Lego NASA Apollo Saturn V Rocket (Video)]

Why we love it: This building set comes with everything you need to simulate a tiny moon mission with adorable little astronaut microfigures. There's even an elaborate illustration on the box that lays out exactly how the Apollo moon missions worked. The spacecraft are all beautifully detailed, making this an excellent addition to any space fan's Lego collection.

Lego 'Women of NASA' Building Set

Lego

One of Lego's newest NASA-inspired building sets features three small builds and four minifigures representing female pioneers of the space industry: Sally Ride, Mae Jemison, Margaret Hamilton and Nancy Grace Roman. The set comes with 231 Lego pieces, which you can use to build the Hubble Space Telescope, the space shuttle Challenger and Hamilton's library of Apollo computer codes. ($24.99 from the Lego store)

Why we love it: It's great to see Lego honor some of the trailblazing women in NASA's history with these special building sets. Physically, the coolest thing about this set is the space shuttle, which comes with three removable rocket stages.

'Star Wars' Droid Inventor Kit

LittleBits

Build your own R2-D2 or a personal variation of the "Star Wars" droid with this complete droid kit. Build your very own droid from the ground up by putting together its circuit boards and assembling all its body parts, then finish it off with customizable stickers that you can color yourself to make a truly unique droid. A smartphone app can then be used to control the droid and teach it new skills like self-navigation. This kit is recommended for kids age 8 years and up. ($100 on Amazon)

Why we love it: Building a fully functional R2-D2 from scratch may sound like a daunting task for children, but this kit comes with straightforward and simple instructions, so adults are not required! You can also rebuild the droid with household items. The possibilities are endless.

GeoSafari Jr. Solar Rover

This simple, spunky little rover can help teach kids about solar power! Built for kids age 8 to 12, the rover comes fully assembled and requires no batteries — only sunlight! ($15 on Amazon)

Why we love it: Steer the rover by casting shadows over either of the two solar arrays located on it sides. Once you get comfortable maneuvering the rover, you can set up an obstacle course with little traffic cones, or check out the included 20-page activity guide for more ideas.

Solar Mechanics Experiment Kit

Thames & Kosmos

This solar-powered rover kit offers a little more room for kids to get creative with engineering. It can be built into more than 20 different configurations. The building set comes with one small solar panel and one solar-powered motor, and the pieces are compatible with all other Thames & Kosmos construction kits. ($27 on Amazon)

Why we love it: Build your own little Mars rover, or maybe quadcopter for Saturn's moon Titan. While the kit comes with instructions for specific designs, you can also try experimenting with your own solar-powered robots.

GeoSafari Jr. Talking Telescope

Educational Insights

The littlest space fans can get acquainted with the universe with this talking telescope from Educational Insights. Recommended for kids age 4 and up, the Talking Telescope doesn't actually feature a magnifying lens for stargazing. Instead, it's equipped with dozens of NASA images and audio clips with accompanying facts recorded by Emily Dawn Calandrelli, the host and producer of the television show "Xploration Outer Space." ($47 on Amazon)

Why we love it: Kids don't even have to go outdoors to learn about the night sky with the Talking Telescope, and it's a useful learning tool for kids who aren't old enough to stargaze with real telescopes.

Augmented Reality Solar System Puzzle

White Mountain Puzzles

Bring this 300-piece jigsaw puzzle to life with an interactive augmented-reality app! You can download the free Mountain Puzzles AR app from the Apple Store or Google Play, then hover your device above the puzzle to reveal animations and facts about the solar system, complete with sound effects. ($14 on Amazon)